Kage Ryu is a Samurai group in Fukuoka and Kyushu being the southern most island in Japan closest to China is generally where both Japanese traders and pirates to China are based. These samurai did not ally with Tokugawa and suffered economically and socially for that. The school used very long Nodachi like swords which became worst when Bakufu government issued ban for swords over 28" in blade length. That is why Katana blade is 28" and longer than that you have Tachi, Nodachi and Odachi. Like many displaced samurai they turned into bandits and pirates. To counter the pirates using very long blades, Qi Jigua devised the Chang Dao which later became the Miao Dao. Compared to Katana, Miao Dao is a much longer blade and has a long straight handle with a more moderate curve than Tachi or Odachi. Chinese history has no exact copy or use of the Bakufu regulated 28" Katana. In fact all the Qing Dynasty Wo Dao (referring to Dao of Japanese inspiration) are very long and comparable to Tachi and Nodachi. True Katana has to be carried on the hip with curved blade up for iado techniques but Tachis are carried blade down and bigger swords are carried in the back.﻿